Warning: Parameter 2 to bateaux_core_search_page_builder() expected to be a reference, value given in /home/makigumo/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-hook.php on line 286The week in figures: May 3, 2013 – Makigumo

No, that’s not a naked baby. That’s a Nendoroid template, which you can use to design a snow-themed Hatsune Miku. You tired of seeing Miku everywhere? You think it’s the same bland design over and over? Now’s your chance to do something about it. Design a Snow Miku for the ages, and maybe Good Smile Company will turn your design into a real Nendoroid. This year’s winner was fantastic. If you think you can do better, by all means give it a try.

Looks good and everything… except the face. Not that it’s a bad face; it’s actually pretty nice. But it is such a Griffon face, isn’t it? Mikoto rarely looks so content and peaceful, especially not when she’s got that coin out. She’s not throwing you some change for a shoe-shine. She’s about to seriously lay down the hurt. Yet that face just says “look at me I’m a Griffon figure.”

You have no idea how many times I thought about just scrapping the whole anime/figures/Japanese shit idea, and turning this into a Chicago Bulls blog. Writing a sports blog is the easiest thing in the world to do. “Gotta play defense! Gotta want it more! Dribble penetration! Gotta come up with those 50/50 balls!” Instead of that, I’ll just be happy to report when the toy world and the world of the Chicago Bulls intersect, as they have with Enterbay’s MICHAEL FUCKING JORDAN.

I’ll sadly admit that I was too young to really appreciate what Jordan’s Bulls did in the dynasty era. But I did watch it happen, I do remember, and I miss those days. Enterbay’s figure is a wonderful tribute to the greatest basketball player of all time. The only thing missing is six Larry O’Brien trophies. Those should come with the package (especially considering the astronomical price tag).

Do you read Mikatan’s blog? You should. It’s the happiest blog in the known universe. I can’t read it and not smile. This particular post is about some of the terminology used to describe a figure in various stages of production. I find Mikatan’s posts about the manufacturing process interesting, as she’s really able to give people an inside look at how figures are made. Otherwise we’d still think they were put together by a workshop of elves.

I went with Tomopop’s top dog Brian Szabelski to C2E2, covering the toy exhibits and speaking to some artists and industry reps. It was good to meet and get to know some of the people we communicate with on a regular basis, such as reps from Diamond Select and Kotobukiya. As for the actual toy coverage, it fell outside of my area of expertise; there was some designer vinyl and LOTS of plushes. Still we covered what we could, so I thought I’d throw up a link to all the posts. I only wish I could have taken more photos of all the crazy cosplay.

I haven’t started watching Attack on Titan yet, but I know the basic premise involves these skinless giants. The obvious merchandising tie-in, then, would be a Nendoroid version. If you know me, you’ll know I love this. Good Smile Company doesn’t take itself seriously at all, and this is a welcome change of pace from all their cutesy Nendos.

I want to promote fellow hobbyists as much as possible, even though Otagamers probably gets like a million times more traffic than this site. I’m sure every little bit helps. As far as I know, this Tenshi figure isn’t new, but Miette-chan sure does have a nice photo set. He also mentions some kind of GSC and Alter “factory sharing debacle” which caused delays. I wonder if that’s why my goddamn Bayonetta still hasn’t arrived.

Miette-chan pretty much covers all the bases in his review, including, well, the base itself. It’s just… unfortunate. I agree with his sentiments about her wings and dress. They could have very easily looked boring, but Good Smile did a great job adding some visual interest to them. I do think her face looks a bit off, though.

I really do not like swimsuit figures. I think Wave probably soured me on the whole concept, but a swimsuit in itself is not an exciting thing anyway. People think it’s intimate wear, but it’s not. A woman will show everyone at the beach what she looks like in a swimsuit. If you think you’re special for having seen one, that’s just foolhardy.

But I do like this Menma figure. Her swimsuit has a design that BiriBiri would love, and there’s enough color to offset the plainness of the skin tone. Menma’s distinct character design also pays dividends. The real winner here, of course, is Sheng’s photography. It feels warm, nostalgic, and film-like without resorting to stupid Instagram bullshit. Plus that bokeh is positively dreamy. A great set for sure, so if you enjoy it, let her know!

That’s it for today. For this weekend I’m off to fancy dinners and maybe some suit shopping!

2 Comments

I think that colossal Titan nendoroid will be a fun combo with Mikudayo to scare little chibis away. I decided not to get it but I think the anime is one of the greatest this season.
I'm also looking forward to the next Snow Miku, I wonder if it's going to be as beautiful as the last one.
Thanks for the link and special mention =D